A Pet
by cudambercam13
Summary: Ziva and Tony get an unusual pet.
1. A Pet

"Shouldn't we start with a dog or something before having kids?"

Ziva was surprisingly first to mention the subject. She was in her early 30s, he in his late, and her biological clock was ticking. If Tony still needed time to think though, what could she do besides try to hurry his process along?

A week later the couple was at the pet store Abby had recommended, saying she wished she could go introduce them to her brother but work had prevented her. Abby would be happy to know she didn't miss her opportunity though because her brother was having a follow up at the hospital that day.

A polite brunette greeted Tony and Ziva when they entered and showed them to the puppy corner. A small batch of terriers, labs and retrievers happily yipped at the couple to beg for their approval, but they had previously discussed getting a German Shepard, considering they were commonly known amongst their group of friends in case they'd need a last minute puppy sitter.

Tony and Ziva kept the other dogs in mind as they went around the pet shop. Tony seemed to be interested in the medium sized animals; The rabbits, which he quickly passed, a barely lingual parrot, a cat that apparently belonged to the shop owner, and he eventually decided he liked the ferrets best, although he'd still prefer a dog.

It only took a turn of head to find his girlfriend Ziva in the small shop. She had settled in front of the glass wall of cages containing everything from rodents to roaches. "Please don't tell me you want a pet rat," he dreadfully said. "If we ever do have a child Tony, I would prefer a pet that would not give them the plague," she casually said, but with a grin and hint of suggestion in her eyes. Tony knew he was in for something unpleasant.

"What did you have in mind, Sweetheart? The lizard? Hamsters... Could get another goldfish, don't forget the fish. They have starfish, we could ask if they have a six armed one to match your necklace, or-" "TONY! I think we should get this." Tony's eyes followed the length of Ziva's arm, and he regretted ever bringing her to a pet store with variety. Oh how he had made a mistake.

After purchasing the necessary equipment, food and accessories, Ziva and Tony soon arrived home with their new pet scorpion.


	2. A Lost Pet

"Tony, don't move!"

Tony froze dead in his tracks as he exited the kitchen with a doughnut in his hand. Once a cop, always a cop.

"What? Did you spill something?" he asked as he inspected the floor beneath his feet. Ziva looked more frantic than a spill would make her though. "Oh, don't tell me-" "Spike got out."

Tony quickly made his way to the couch and stood on it without forgetting his doughnut "Get your dirty feet off of that couch! I should be up there, not you!" Ziva yelled and whacked his arm with a sports magazine he had been reading.

"Ow! Hey, I'm not the one who wanted a scorpion in the first place! If this would have been a dog like I wanted, we could have just put an ad in the paper, but no! Now we have to place a front page ad saying Lost: Scorpion. If stung, please call-"

"Do not _even _think about saying you did not want him Tony! You named him!"

"After Spike Jones, Ziva! Who the hell wants a pet scorpion? You can't even touch it without having to go to the emergency room!"

"If you keep it up you will be going to the emergency room! Now get down here and help me!"

With little to no choice in the matter, Tony headed to search in the bedroom while Ziva went to check the kitchen. They eventually had the bedding on the floor, dishes and silverware on the counter, and so on, making a mess in all the rooms of the house, but still with no sign of their sort of beloved pet.

"Maybe we should just wait and if one of us gets stung in the middle of the night, we'll know he's close by." Tony got no reply. "Ziva?"

In just a few moments, panic set in. He was afraid to check the living room to see if she was alright. How fast and deadly were scorpion stings? He should have done research on this. Just as he was about to grab his cell phone, he was interrupted by loud, dramatic laughter from outside the door. He stepped out and there stood Ziva, laughing and pushing Tony's head to look in the living room

"I told you to always use a plate, Tony!" she said between giggly gasps for breath. On the living room floor was a large crumb of doughnut bread, and behind it, their pet scorpion was munching away. A rare sweet tooth for a rare house pet. "I'll get the doughnut box!" announced Tony enthusiastically. Was it even possible for a man to bond with a scorpion? Well, this was as close as anyone could get.


End file.
